The Rigors of Beta Testing: The Past, Present, and Future
Since the earliest days of MMO gaming, beta testing has played a pivotal role in the success or failure of our persistent worlds. We've come a long way since the initial tests of Ultima Online and The Realm, but what role do our current beta tests play in the potential outcomes of unreleased titles? To answer this question, Ten Ton Hammer turned to current and former beta decision makers at Cryptic Studios, NetDevil, Sony Online Entertainment, Funcom, and Mythic Entertainment. Some of their answers - and the information they reveal - will surprise and shock you.
On top of that selection, we also asked our Ten Ton Hammer premium members for their thoughts on beta testing as well! Here's a sneak peek from former EverQuest 2 developer, Scott Hartsman:
Quote:
By the time beta begins, you've made decision after decision that have compounded on each other. Your assumptions' assumptions' have assumptions about what your game is. The whole product, systems, content, operations, marketing, PR, community ramp, you name it -- is built upon them. Changing core assumptions about the product itself is unlikely to be possible without significant delays, costing progressively more money per month. (Remember, the months toward the end of the dev cycle are the most expensive ones by far.)
The Rigors of Beta Testing: The Past, Present, and Future
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